What's happening
This bill prohibits landlords and public housing from discriminating against tenants based on the breed, size, or weight of their dogs.
Why it matters
Expands housing access for dog owners. By preventing landlords and public housing authorities from banning dogs based on breed, size, or weight, this bill could make it easier for a broader range of tenants—especially those with large or traditionally restricted breeds—to find housing.
Shifts focus to individual dog behavior, not stereotypes. The bill allows for "reasonable restrictions" and enforcement regarding dangerous dogs, which means landlords can still address specific safety concerns, but not through blanket bans that often stem from breed stereotypes.
Reduces risk of forced pet relinquishment. Many tenants currently have to give up beloved pets to secure housing; this bill could reduce those difficult situations, supporting both animal welfare and tenant stability.
Clarifies landlords’ rights and responsibilities. While landlords can't discriminate based on breed, size, or weight, they retain the ability to set and enforce reasonable rules about pets (such as leash requirements or limits on numbers), maintaining some control over property management and safety.
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Who cares
Headline styles
End Dog Breed Discrimination
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
11 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to housing
- Referred to housing
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1960
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 18, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ZEBROWSKI, OTIS, GLICK, SOLAGES, L. ROSENTHAL, RAIA, COLTON, BICHOTTE, WEPRIN, BARRETT, SEAWRIGHT, MALLIOTAKIS -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ARROYO, BUCHWALD, COOK, CUSICK, HEVESI, LUPARDO, McDONOUGH, RA, SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Housing
AN ACT to amend the public housing law and the real property law, in relation to discrimination against owners of specific breeds of dog
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public housing law is amended by adding a new section 223-c to read as follows:
§ 223-c. Discrimination against persons who own certain dogs. No person shall be denied occupancy in a dwelling in any project or be subjected to eviction from any such dwelling on the grounds that such person owns a dog of a specific breed, size, or weight and such dog resides with such person. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any authority from prescribing and enforcing reasonable restrictions or requirements on the ownership of dogs, regardless of their breed, size, or weight, or on the ownership of dangerous dogs as prescribed in section one hundred twenty-three of the agriculture and markets law.
§ 2. Article 7 of the real property law is amended by adding a new section 238-a to read as follows:
§ 238-a. Discrimination in leases with respect to certain dogs. No person, firm or corporation owning or having in charge any apartment house, tenement house or other building or mobile home park used for dwelling purposes shall restrict a tenant's ability to own a dog of a specific breed, size or weight. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit such persons, firms or corporations from prescribing and enforcing reasonable restrictions or requirements on the ownership of dogs, regardless of their breed, size or weight, or on the ownership of dangerous dogs as prescribed in section one hundred twenty-three of the agriculture and markets law.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06168-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.